One person dead in logging truck collision

A passenger car rear-ended a logging truck 11 kilometres outside of Port McNeill on Highway 19 around 8:45 a.m. this morning, leaving one dead and three others with serious injuries.

Sgt. Craig Blanchard, Unit Commander for North Vancouver Island Traffic Services, stated the RCMP received a call of a serious motor vehicle accident just south of Port McNeill on Highway 19 on the morning of Dec. 14, before clarifying that, “All that we know now is that the logging truck was stopped for other traffic, and it was rear-ended by a passenger car with four occupants in it.”

Blanchard confirmed the driver of the passenger car is being airlifted to hospital via helicopter, one female passenger in the vehicle is deceased, and the two other occupants are being treated for injuries.

The RCMP will not be releasing any of the names involved until notification of next of kin has been completed.

Due to the severity of the collision, Highway 19 will be closed to all traffic for the next several hours as Port McNeill RCMP, North Island Traffic Services, Integrated Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Service, Commercial Vehicle Safety Enforcement and the Criminal Collision Investigation Team conduct the investigation.

At this time, there is no detour around the scene. Motorists can monitor the DriveBC.ca website for updates regarding the highway closure. Motorists are advised to delay any immediate travel plans as the investigation continues and Police would like to thank the public for their patience.